North Penn High School principal Todd Bauer has an open door policy.

Walking through F Pod on my way to our early morning interview, there was no mistaking where Bauer’s office was; the door was open, and, despite the seemingly endless flow of people who stopped by to consult with Bauer first thing in the morning, he immediately welcomed me inside when I peered into the doorway.

One of Bauer’s first moves as principal was to redecorate his office, and the results are impressive. The newly painted light gray wood paneling makes the room seem less like an administrator’s office and more like a beach house. Pictures, drawn in marker and addressed “To Daddy,” line the walls next to countless pictures of Bauer’s wife and two young kids. Behind the desk, in between two shelves lined with neatly arranged books and even more pictures, is a hand-painted poster with a quote attributed to Bauer himself: “Make it happen, because it’s time to leave your mark.”

That quote has proven to be more than just words on a wall to Bauer, who has wasted no time settling in to his new position. When he’s not visiting classes, stopping by club meetings, or attending NPHS sporting events, he’s probably meeting with his new administrative team or dealing with the problems that arise during the day-to-day operations of running a 3,000 student high school.

“[I’ve been] just trying to pick up all that I can from the students, staff, and faculty, and it’s happening at a feverish pace,” explained Bauer as he reflected on the little more than a month he has spent as principal. “I’ve been adjusting on the fly and learning quickly.”

After spending his previous years as an assistant principal at Central Bucks South, there has proven to be plenty for Bauer to adjust to.

“Things behind the scenes, the way that they happen here is different from the way things happened at Central Bucks,” said Bauer. “Everything from computer systems to chain of command to processes for paperwork… everything’s different.”

While the minute differences between Central Bucks are North Penn are infinite, it is the big things that really set North Penn apart from other high schools in the region.

“It’s the hustle and bustle of this place,” explained Bauer. “They say that New York City is the city that never sleeps- well, I swear this is the school that never sleeps. Every time I come here- and I’ve been here at some weird times- there’s something going on, there are people here, there are organizations, clubs, community organizations doing something. I love pulling up [to NPHS] and seeing all of the great things that are going on.”

However, one of Bauer’s favorite changes his new position has provided isn’t anything that happens inside the high school. Anybody who has stepped foot into the principal’s office or had a conversation with Bauer knows how important his wife and kids are to him, a priority that he wasn’t always able to afford enough time to in the past.

“My family lives fifteen minutes away [now],” said Bauer. “When I was at Central Bucks, [they were] 45 minutes away, so running home to have dinner with my wife and kids was difficult to do. There were times when I would go three or four days without seeing my kids while they were awake.”

Now, Bauer adds, he tries to leave school around five o’clock every night- certainly not an attempt to skimp on work for a man who comes in at 5:15 every morning. And when he’s not spending time with his family or running one of the largest high schools in the state, Bauer is back in the classroom himself, working towards his doctorate by taking bi-weekly classes on nights and weekends.

But don’t think that Bauer is too overwhelmed by his busy schedule to implement any changes at North Penn.

Already, Bauer explains, “there have been a lot of small changes, some that I’m sure students have seen and others they haven’t; changes in systems and operations, [changes in] some of the things that we allow and don’t allow.”

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[Students] just want to be heard, they want to know that you care about them, that you care about their best interests, and that you’re there to listen.

— Todd Bauer

Looking forward, Bauer hopes to implement a number of positive changes that will help North Penn students prepare for life beyond high school. Citing the growing numbers of colleges using programs like Blackboard and Canvas, Bauer noted how he would like to see students exposed to such technology in high school.

“I think it’s important for [students] to be independent leaners, independent thinkers, and a lot of the onus for your learning is on you after high school,” said Bauer. “It’s not as much of a teacher giving you the knowledge, it’s [teachers] giving access to the knowledge.”

Listening to students and his new staff has been the hallmark of Bauer’s first month on the job, something that Bauer hopes will continue throughout his tenure at North Penn.

“[Students] just want to be heard, they want to know that you care about them, that you care about their best interests, and that you’re there to listen,” said Bauer.

“I intend to be here for a long time,” said Bauer. “I hope that [when I eventually step down], people in this community will say that [I] was very fair, approachable, that I listened [to people], and always did what [I] thought was right and not what was easy. I hope people will say, ‘he was a good guy who cared about kids and made thoughtful decisions for the right reasons.’”

If his first month as principal is any indication, Bauer is certainly leaving the door open for any changes that will help him achieve that legacy.